Improvement in sled-brakes



H. W; 61. B. C. SMITH.

Sled Brake.

Patented Jan. 26, 1869.

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H. VJ. SMITH AND B. C. SMITH, OF RAINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.-

Letters Patent No. 86,325, dated Janna/r3 26, 1869.

HEROVEMENT IN SLED-BRAKES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, H. W. SMITH and B. 0.SMITH, of Bainsburg, in the county of Bedford, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sled-Brakes;and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in mechanism forretarding and stopping the motion of sleds or sleighs, and vehicles of asimilar nature, which are used for the transportation of passengers, orfreight, on snow-roads, oron ice;

and

The invention consists in the arrangement of shafts, levers, and ropes,with springs, and other fixtures connected thereto, as will hereafter bemore fully described.

The accompanying drawing represents a sectional side elevation of asleigh, provided with a brake constructed according to our invention.

A represents the brake-levers, which have their fulora on the runners oneach side of the sleigh, as seen at B, in the drawing.

These brake-levers, one on each side of the sleigh, are operatedprincipally from a horizontal shaft, 0, which passes through, under thebody of the sleigh, with a lever, D, upon one or both ends.

Rigidly attached to this shaft are two arms, E,which are connected withthe brake-levers A by the spiral springsF.

It will be' seen that by the arrangement, as far as described, thebrake-levers may be operated from the sleigh by the levers D.

G represents another horizontal shaft, which is secured beneath the bodyof the sleigh, on gudgeons or pivots in its ends, so thatit may revolve.

H is a detachable frame, on the front end of the sleigh-body, upon theupper end of which there is a Windlass, I, with a crank, J. It also hasa roller, K, at its lower end, as seen in the drawing.

Attached to the Windlass there is a broad strap, L, from which aresuspended two metallic eyes m. 4

N represents ropes, which are attached to these eyes, m, by hooks orotherwise, which ropes pass around the roller K, and around thehorizontal shaft G, and from thence to the spiral springs F, as seen inthe drawing.

By this arrangement, it will be seen that the brakelevers A can beoperatedby turning the crank J ,and thence drawing the ropes N aroundthe shaft G and roller K.

It will be noticed that the two methods of drawing the brakes justdescribed, viz, by the shaft 0, and by the Windlass I, are eachindependent of the other in operating the brakes.

To render the brake automatic, or to operate it by the holding-backmovement of the horses, we confine a sliding rod, 0, or its equivalent,beneath the pole P, by staples g g. i

This rod is attached to a strap, R, or its equivalent, at its forwardend, which renders over a pulley, S, confined in the pole near its end.

Upon the end of this strap T, which is attached tothe harness by theeyes u it.

At the other end of the rod 0 there is a long staple or loop, 2:, witheyes, in, at each end, to which the ropes N, or their equivalent, areattached, when it is desired to operate the brake-levers by theresistance of the horses against the forward mdvementof the sleigh.

As seen in the drawing, the ropes N are attached to the eyes m. They canalso be attached to the eyes min the rod 0, when the brakes are appliedby the horses.

x shows a fastening on the tongue or pole, opposite the shoulders of thehorses, to which the straps which guide the tongue are attached.

These straps, it will be understood, are distinct from those whichoperate the brakes, the latter being hitched to the rings in theharness, while the former areattached to the lower end of the collars,the difference in the direction of the draught thereby giving the horsesroom to operate the brakes.

y represents a section of a pole, with a slightly different method ofhitching.

z shows a long metallic staple, which carries a. sliding ring, a.

This ring is connected with the termination of the strap R, 'or itsequivalent, by another ring, I).

It will be seen that by hitching, in any suitable manner, to this latterring, the brakes can be operated, and the tongue of the vehicle guidedin any direction by the same holding-straps or chains.

a shows a small stop, placed on the end of the tongue, which can be madeto hook into a ring near the end of the strap R, and thereby prevent thebrakes from acting, when necessary,

From the above, it will be readily understood that a backward movementof the horses, with either of the above methods of hitching, or acombination of the same, against the forward action of the sleigh, in

descending ground, will draw the rod 0, or its equivalent, forward, andconsequently draw the ropes N in the same direction, and thereby operatethe brakes.

It will be seen that this sled-brake is so arranged as to be madeavailable under all ordinary circumstances, and that its action must besure and effective, by whichever method it is operated; and further,that it can be applied to almost any vehicle which has runners, withoutregard to the shape of the runners.

The above-described invention is intendedas an improvement upon ourpatent ofOctober 8, 1867.

What we claim, is-

there is a yoke or bail,

2 as,32t

1. The arrangement. of the rock-shaft Cl, and. its The abovespecification of our invention signed by lever D, and arms E E, andspring F, of metal or us, this 9th day of November, 1868.

rubber, with the brake A; all substantially as Shown 11 SMITH.

and described- B. 0. SMITH. 2. The arrangement of the chain or rodO,.pull ey S, on the end of the pole P, staplez, and ring a, andWltllessesi bail T, for operating the brake A, attached to the JmnsSIPES,

runner of a sleigh, all substantially as set forth. VALENTINE FREET.

